Interview Number One...

Characters:

Will(Hero): Interviewee
Skylar(Heroine),Morgan: Interviewers
Chuckie: Will's friend


Will gets an interview scheduled through his Consultants.

[Titles Start]

Will gets up late in the morning. He is forced to finish his morning routine quick. By the time he comes out of bathroom, power is gone. He glances at the clothes, which he was planning to iron and wear for the interview, with despair. He goes to the closet and tries mixing and matching and finally comes up with a pair satisfactory to him.

Since he is late, Will takes help of his buddy Chuckie. Chuckie agrees to drop Will at the interview location. But he cant be there for long coz 'he has to go see about a girl'. They are on their way. Will is already tensed thinking about the interview and on top of that there is a chance that he might be late to reach the place. POVs of Will and Chuckie are shown on the way.

Will hesitates while climbing stairs... By the time he reaches the venue for interview, the interviewers are already in and are seated comfortably.

[Titles End]

He enters the room for face to face interview. Interviewers are Skylar and Morgan. He gets himself seated across the table to both.

Interview starts with "Kem chos". Then it goes to tell me about yourself. Morgan takes anchor's role. Will starts with a voice full of confidence and goes ahead with his description. Then he faces the same question which was asked to him by a zillion people on numerous occasions, "where is your company located?" Will crosses that hurdle.

Morgan sizes up the guy who is sitting across the table, as he speaks. So does Skylar.

Morgan:
How about your studies, college etc. ?

Will:
I took my bachelors from QWE college in RTY stream in the year 1234.

Morgan:
How and when you started your professional career ?

Will:
I started my carrier in ZXCV that was in 9876. Then I moved to my current employer.

Will still looks tensed. Since Morgan has some knowledge about the college where Will studied, to lighten the tense air he diverts the topic a bit.

Morgan:
Do you have any idea about the present activities in college, about teachers etc.?

Will:
[Thinking]What sort of question is this? [/Thinking]Yes, but not much. Heard that there are lot many problems reported and that there is politics involved. Now most of the teachers who interacted with us are gone... either transfer or higher studies.

Morgan:
Where do you stay, by the way?

Will:
You know QWERTY building? Opposite to that. I am staying with my friends.

Morgan leaves the scene, asking Skylar to go ahead with the interview.

Skylar:
So... Tell me about your work and how much you rate yourself in your area ?

Will:
I am into Mobile repairing. I have worked for mobile company X for couple of years. Now I am working on Y and Z mobile phones. I ll rate myself 8/10.

Skylar:
Morgan also does something on Mobiles. But I don't know much about that. I am into Mac Book servicing.

Will:
I don't know anything about Mac Book. Please go ahead with your questions.

Skylar:
[Thinking] God... I don't know what to ask. What should I do? I will be frank with him. That is the best way.[/Thinking]
This is the first time I am taking an interview. I don't know what to ask.

Will:
[Thinking]If you don't know what to ask, how will you find out whether I match the requirement? Or is it that you are not clear about what you want? [/Thinking] I ll divulge one more thing. I have some malicious code on my machine. But it appears rarely. Rest assured there are no bad sectors.

Skylar:
(Startled)REGULARLY?

Will:
I said rarely.

Skylar:
When you say malicious code... Is it a worm or a virus?

Will:
(Smiling) It is kind of both.

Skylar:
Ok. Now a days it is very common. [Thinking] Is this an anticipatory bail? Or he is being sincere? I don't get what this guy is driving at [/Thinking]

Will:
But that is not an excuse. Moreover, the consultancy who sent me here does not know about this. I know that they are quite used to not having any malicious code and are totally against it. So I don't know how they react if they know this.

Anymore questions ?

Skylar:
I told you this is the first time I am taking an interview and I don't know what to ask.

Will:
[Thinking] OMG... is this another way of saying 'Not Selected'? Let me try this [/Thinking]
Okie... Take down my number and if you have any questions don't mind calling.

[Skylar takes down the number and gives a call from her cell and Will disconnects the call.]

[Morgan Rejoins....]

Morgan:
Is it over Skylar? Alright Will... Our HR will let your Consultants know about the result.

Will:
[Thinking]Why can't he say in plain simple English whether I am through with this round or not.. rather than giving a vague answer like this? [/Thinking]

[After One Month...]


Will:
Hi Skylar...

It has been a month since we met for the interview... I understand 'no answer' is answer "NO".

I called you up to say Thanks... for keeping my secret a secret. When I told you the things, I was just thinking about being sincere or frank... My friend appraised me about the other side, which I overlooked... then I became a bit worried... thought it might get relayed to my consultants as a feedback, which would have been a catastrophe. Thought of calling you a couple of times... but then I realised it is a little too late.

Skylar:
Secrets should remain as secrets right? Sorry for what happened. No hard feelings please.

Will:
Thanks for your discretion. No Problem. When you go on this mode, all these are expected even though you are optimistic.

Skylar:
That is nice of you to say. All the best in your search.

[After 4-5 hours]

Will:
Hi.... This is Will again.

Skylar:
Oh ho... What is it?

Will:
I ll start... I respect your decision. I m not trying to impress you. I know it is a bit odd when I call you... coz you have already called it quits. Moreover I understand it is all about catching the best fish, either way. Since the HR round didn't happen, I kind of figured out that a better fish is already captured, which likes chocolate layer or any other layer.

Skylar:
Huh????

Will:
I ll come to the point. I need help.

Skylar:
(Sighs!!!) Go ahead. you started playing it straight, stick to it. Remember these are all your interpretations. I have not said anything.

Will:
Okie... If it is possible to you.... Could you tell me the reason why the rejection happened? I am asking it because I ll be taking the same steps and meeting another interviewer in the near future. I don't want this phase to happen again. So... If it is something I can correct, I ll correct it and go. I would like to get a feedback. You don't have to be considerate... Since I am asking for it, be blunt. Rest assured, I can take it whatever it may.

Skylar:
[Thinking] Oh God!!!!! What a specimen. Lucky that he didn't get selected.[/Thinking] See... It's not your fault. It is not that there is something wrong with you. When we got a candidate who fits the exact requirement, we selected him. And as you know, we have only one vacancy.

Will:
Alright. Thanks... for your time and for listening patiently. Bye.

Skylar:
Bye.

Will looks dejected after the call. Once the interview got over he was optimistic that he might get selected. Now that he got the result he lies on his back and looks at the ceiling fan and thinks about the incidents of the interview day. Chuckie comes to Will's room and finds him low on spirit. He gets the reason from Will. He drags Will out to the nearest cafe and there they are joined by their friends...

Chuckie talks about the girl whom he is going to meet for dinner.

Chuckie:
I am going for dinner with 'my girl'. I have decided. This is my girl.

Will:
I am at a loss how you figured out this is your girl... that too in one look!!!

Chuckie:
It was impulsive. She was a stunner.

Will:
But a person's identity is made by his/her character. You agree to it?

Chuckie:
Yes.

Will:
Then how can you decide just on looks? I agree that looks also matter but...

Chuckie:
Brother, I started with looks let me meet her a couple of times and talk then I ll figure out.

Will:
What happened to that girl whom you met on the day of my interview?

Chuckie:
(Grinning)She dumped me. In fact she stood me up that day.

Will: STOOD YOU UP !!!!! she stood you up???? Oh man... That is disgusting.

[Now Will is not thinking about the interview... he is busy with friendly banter. Everything back to Normal]
[ZOOM OUT]

Priceless...

Characters:

Adam : A level headed bloke, who, when drinks keeps some part of his 'consciousness' alive so that he can send SMS's

Bob : Another gem, who remembers all his 'drink-n-vomit' record with remarkable precision.

Charles : Poor chap who couldnt make it to the Friday evening-session. He is gifted with the ability to identify people from their vomiting sounds.

Dale : Another rare specimen who drinks rarely, but when present in the area cuts through the touchings like a piranha and also keeps track of all the words spoken in that session and will reproduce exact sentences if anyone starts denying the words the next day. He is next door neighbour to the first three.

Here we go...

Friday evening... A(dam) gets an invitation from B(ob) and proceeds to the nearest wineshop. He picks up drinkables in general or whisky, soda etc... in particular. B gets food and supportive items required for the session. They got message from C(harles) that he wont be able to make it to the session.

So it starts with A and B. They start slowly and in approx 1hr the bottle is quarter full or three quarters empty. At that time D(ale) steps in. Slowly the topic shifts to girls, love and marriage. Details of crushed crushes and failed proposals come out in due course... Around midnight D goes to sleep. A finishes his food and goes to sleep in another 15-20 mins, leaving B alone with the bottle.

A wakes up at seven next morning and sees the room, which was the session-room the previous night, in a complete mess. He checks all the rooms and finds B in sound sleep and C up and reading a paper.

A : Hey, when did you come in ? Have you seen this ?
C : Around 2 in the morning and found the place exactly as it is now.
A : Okie.
C : I heard someone vomiting in the bathroom. That was shortly after I went to bed. I was so tired that I didnt bother checking who it is. But I thought I recognised the voice.
A : Who was it ?
C : You.
A : What ? I was sleeping and I didnt go to bathroom after twelve. I went to bed at around twelve-thirty and after some time B also went to bed and I was half asleep when I saw B getting up and walking back to the session-room and I heard vomiting sounds. Since I knew B was there I didnt get up from bed. After sometime I remembered that you are outside. Then I got up from the bed and went to that room. Lights were out and no one was in the room. I turned the lights back on so that when you come in you wont walk on the mess. I tried to call you but strangely my moblie was showing "no network coverage". Then I tried to send an SMS. That also failed. Then I went to bed and was asleep till moring.
C : What was the time gap between you seeing B going to the room and you getting up ?
A : I dont know. I was in halfsleep state when I saw him and went back to sleep. It must be ten-fifteen minutes. Wait, I can tell you the time. I called you last at 1.15 AM as per my mobile record.
C : Alright. That almost sets the time you turned the lights back on.

A and C cleans the place and goes out for breakfast and comes back by Ten. At Ten thirty B wakes up and sees A and C reading newspapers.

B : Good Morning Guys...
A : Did you have any problems after drinks last night ?
B : No. Why? Did you have any?
A : Last night someone created a mess here. Was that you ?
B : No. I went to bed soon after you and just now woke up.
A : But I saw you get up and go to the room and heard vomiting sounds also.
B : Is this some kind of bluff ? Nobody vomited. Moreover I dont see anything here.
C : Oh, now it is our problem that we cleaned the place!!!!!!!!
B : Stop the bluff... I know if I vomited and I have no problem in admitting it. I am not feeling any effect on my body. Now see my clothes... it is clean. Check the bed that is also clean. How can you accuse me? You must be the one who did it or A.
A : Now let me tell you something. Yesterday you went way over the board. If you dont believe my words, we can check with D.
B : But that doesnt mean I did anything you guys say.

D enters the room after getting a call from A.

D : (to B) Aliya do you remember what you did last night? You were trying tongue twisters to prove that you are not drunk.
A : How was our condition when you left us last night ?
D : What happened ? Anything wrong?
A : We are trying to put two and two together and we are getting eight !!!!!. Can you help us ?
D : What ?

D listens to all arguments and finally sits puzzled.


A,B,C and D thinks to themselves : Did I create the mess yesterday ?



One bottle whiskey + soda + softdrinks...... Rs 900
Food and supporting items........... Rs 350

Mystery as in an Agatha Christie novel the next morning...... Priceless.....

Wedding bells...

I was off net for a couple of weeks.... it is the lengthiest break I ve taken in the last 4 years or so.

My cousin D, who was my sister, neighbour, adviser, boss etc... for the last 20+ years... got married.

Till date not a single week passed without us getting into some sort of fight... ;)

As the great day approached we all became too busy running around to get things done or receiving relatives and friends who dropped in....
One day when I woke up it was Friday and the marriage was on Sunday. But at the next instant it is Monday the day after marriage. Days went that fast...

As the day approached realization dawned on me... my kid sister, who followed me around, has become a woman and is going to get married.

She kept her smile through out the function. When she was leaving the house we all thought of a break down. But to our surprise she held her smile and let that moment pass by...

So typical of us.... We got into our next fight inside a week :)

Days of Thunder... err. only DD

One fine morning our TV Remote stopped working. Many a doctor tried to bring him back to life, but he remained dead. We changed the cells with no effect. Then it occurred to us.... sometimes things get exhausted and gadgets also 'die'.


Walking up to the TV set and changing channels manually is not meant for a lazy group like us. We set some music channel and started with our friendly banter... Since the 'remote crisis' was there in the back of every one's head, suddenly the days of single channel a.k.a DD days became the topic. Days of "Ramayan" and "Mahabharath". How each one of us watched it... I remember watching those with full family and neighbours. My mother used to get up early and finish her morning 'tasks' so that we are done with our breakfast and she can be free at the time they show these serials!!!!!!


Remember those Sunday supplements which covered the episode for the day dialogue by dialogue?


Then the discussion moved to ads... Vinod Khanna's "I use Cinthol. Do you ?" comes to mind so is the ever green Nirma ad.


Shockingly we all had The News, The world this week and also Surabhi in our top programmes list.

Don't know why we are still nostalgic about 'only' DD days. May be too much of choice has spoilt it now.